The secret that we keep
by smaragdbird
Summary: People lie. Especially when it's for the greater good. slash


"Sir", Jarvis announced, "the team from Shield is here. Should I let them up?"

"Go ahead, Jarvis", Tony said. He was the only one not staring down Loki since Bruce had begun to shrink down to normal again and promptly collapsed. Tony caught him and put him on the sofa, draping a blanket over him.

The lift doors opened and Tony heard Natasha gasp and an all too familiar voice said,

"Good work."

Coulson was standing in the middle of the room, looking as unimpressed as always, calm, collected and definitely alive.

Natasha was the first one to recover from the shock, hugging him so strongly that Coulson winced.

"Son of Coul", Thor said happily, "It's good to see you again." It was only then that Tony remembered that Thor hadn't even known that Loki had killed Coulson.

Or apparently not as it turned out.

"Fury said you were dead", Natasha said with more emotion than Tony had ever heard from her.

"I was for about 30 seconds", Coulson shrugged. "The Director thought that my death would give you the necessary push to work properly as a team."

"Son of a bitch", Tony cursed angrily. If Fury had been here he would have hit him. Fury was a mean bastard for making them believe Coulson had died. Steve didn't look particularly happy either but then his opinion of Fury wasn't the best in the first place and he had only known Coulson for a couple hours.

Natasha hit Coulson lightly on the shoulder. "Don't scare us like this again or I will kill you", she threatened but the fact that she was hugging him again exposed it as the empty threat it was.

"You are more resilient than I had thought"; Loki commented, looking at Coulson quite appreciatively.

"Thanks", Coulson replied. Tony couldn't have said if his tone was dry or sincere or maybe both.

Shield took Loki away, followed by Thor to make sure that his brother wouldn't escape again. Tony didn't miss that Loki gave Coulson one last look before the lift doors closed, as if he was contemplating how to adjust his plans to Coulson's continued presence.

"It's good to have you back", Steve said, shaking Coulson's hand.

"Yeah", Tony said, "I was starting to miss the threats of tasering."

And then, iron man suit and all, he hugged Coulson as well. Because damn him if he hadn't missed the bastard.

"Not that I don't appreciate your concern but I _was_ wounded so could you let go?" Coulson asked dryly.

"Sorry", Tony let go immediately, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"And I will still taser you if you make my life difficult", Coulson told him almost cheerily. Well, what passed for cheery for Coulson at least.

"Understood", Tony grinned.

"Clint?" He heard Natasha say. The only one who had not yet reacted to Coulson's return, apart from Bruce obviously, was Barton. He stood with his back to the rest of them, bow and arrow still in his hand.

"Clint", Natasha said again, touching his arm and Tony noticed that Barton was trembling, shaking even.

"May I have a word with Agent Barton alone?" Coulson asked calmly.

"Of course", Steve replied immediately.

Tony, who was dying of curiosity about what was going on between Coulson and Barton, added, "Just call me when Bruce wakes up."

Coulson nodded and Natasha was ushering them out of the door with one last, concerned look over her shoulder.

"Clint?" Coulson asked, slowly walking up to him.

"I wanted to shoot Loki", Clint said, still not turning around. "Right before you turned up I wanted to shoot him."

"I'm glad you didn't. Thor and Asgard are valuable allies."

"Is that all you care about?" Clint yelled, finally facing Coulson. There were tear tracks under his red rimmed eyes. "You made me believe you were dead, you fucking bastard!"

"We always knew there was a possibility one of us may not come back."

"No, no, that's not the same. It was always "might be" or "missing, assumed dead" or "the chances are-". Natasha never had to break to me before that you were killed by the same guy who had me under mind control." Clint's grip on the arrow was so tight that it snapped, startling him for a moment. "When I woke up I asked Natasha if you had already come up with a form for this and she gave me that look, like she wanted to cry but wouldn't let herself."

"I'm sorry", Coulson said quietly.

"But you're not. You think Fury made the right call."

"You saved the world. I can't argue with that."

"Bullshit. Thor and Banner didn't even know and they still fought with us. We would have made it anyway, somehow."

"Okay."

"Okay? That's it?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"How about "I won't do it again"?"Clint came closer until he and Coulson were only centimetres apart. "Dammit, Phil, I'm trying really hard not just to wring your neck for the stunt you pulled."

"Welcome to my world."

"Sarcasm, really? You spend too much time with Stark."

"At least he seems to be happy that I'm back." Coulson replied.

Clint hit him.

Only to grab him by his jacket and kiss him.

"Don't you imply again that I didn't miss you or I will…I will…" He was kissing Coulson again and again and again until he lost count. Phil was alive, he was alive and the rest of the world could go the fucking hell for all Clint cared.

A soft noise from the other side of the room startled them both. Clint laughed against Coulson's lips.

"Just so we're clear, here", He said, leaning his forehead against Coulson's, "If you do something like this again I will let Natasha kill you."

"Understood", Coulson answered before he called Jarvis to tell Tony that Bruce was waking up.

"You need to be more careful," Clint murmured, lightly tracing the bandage around Coulson's torso, "Or a bodyguard. You definitely have too much contact time with evil robots and homicidal gods." He traced another scar, older than the wound on Coulson's chest.

"Anyone in mind for the position?" Coulson was resting on a load of pillows, watching Clint trace new and old wounds on his naked body.

"There's me."

"Shooting robots with arrows doesn't sound particularly promising." Coulson said amused.

"That might not be as effective as if Stark was your bodyguard but there might be other advantages if you take me." Clint threw his leg over Coulson's, kneeling over him, careful not to cause him anymore pain.

"There 'might' be advantages? I could take Stark and have a 'there will be advantages'."

"Do remember that sex we wanted to have ever again? Not tonight obviously but you know, in the future."

"I'm simply weighing my options. Also you implied I can't take care of myself."

"No, I said you need someone to take the fall for you."

"Which obviously would make you the worst possible choice and Stark the best."

"If that's what I have to put up with to keep you, then go for it", Clint lay down, draping himself over Coulson as much as he could without causing him discomfort.

"Clint?" Coulson said eventually, caressing the back of his neck. "I'm sorry I hurt you."

"I love you, too", Clint whispered, tightening his hold around Coulson. He'd never let go again, he promised himself, magic and monsters and aliens be damned.


End file.
